By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has resigned as a councillor for the City of Johannesburg.
Mashaba had served as a councillor for three months. He was sworn in November 2021 after the municipal elections.
He said on Monday that he handed in his resignation letter on Sunday, after consultation with ActionSA’s senate, the party’s decision-making body.
Mashaba said following the formation of coalition governments in Gauteng after the 2021 local government elections, he wanted to oversee getting ActionSA set in the council.
“Now that ActionSA’s caucus is settled and our MMCs are actively pursuing programmes of service delivery in Johannesburg, it is time for me to step back and allow someone else the opportunity to gain this critical local government experience,”Mashaba said.
Another reason for his resignation as councillor is to travel across the country to expand the party.
“My council seat should be filled by someone who is fully available to the needs of the residents of Johannesburg.”
He assured Johannesburg supporters he was still “deeply invested” in the multi-party coalition, and will abide by this to “ensure stable and effective government that places the needs of residents first”.
Mashaba said last week that ActionSA would be focused on growth ahead of the 2024 general election.
He said the aim was to establish structures in the party by the end of 2022, to grow a stable political base by the time the national election campaign picked up steam.